WotC: Prince of Lightning
by BrxkenArrow
Summary: Self-Insert. I have several titles here. Defender, Prince, Soldier, Brother, and Adversary. I'd hoped to eventually add Dragon Rider to the list, and recently, I did. Unfortunately, that title breeds a couple more in my culture, and not all of them are flattering. Skrill Trainer, Traitor, and Banished Prince are among them. OCxHeather. Rated T for Paranoia. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Banishment

I sat in my cell, a frustrated scowl on my face. I was stupid. I was sloppy. I was an idiot. I don't know how many other words I could use to describe how ridiculously stupid I was to allow someone to follow me. Unfortunately, even if I used them all, it wouldn't undo what has been done. I broke the law, I got caught, and I got thrown into a cell. For something so mundane at that.

Well, mundane or otherwise, my sister has no choice but to follow the laws of our people. Given my social standing in this world, I might get off lighter than others, but by how much, I don't know. It's been clearly stated for centuries that our people are not to confine a dragon in anyway, and I was caught on the back of a dragon, who was trying to throw me off. And I was just playing for God's sake! The dragon was well aware of this and was making sure I didn't get hurt, and vice versa.

She and I had been friends for months.

I'd found her with a spear in her shoulder a few months ago, and did my best to help her. I pulled the spear out, stopped the bleeding, and used any nearby herbs that had healing properties that I knew of. It took hours of constant checking, worrying, and reapplying bandages. Eventually, she'd managed to regain consciousness, and we slowly bonded. I left and returned the next day with food and some water. And a little something extra that I would use to make sure she didn't attack me.

The dragon was weary of me at first. I suspected that she didn't like humans very much, but I did help her. I'm guessing that made her question what she knew of humans. She was rather young. Just barely into her adolescence I think, given her size and build. Everyday, around noon, I would sneak out of the village and go see the dragon. I eventually decided that she needed a name. Given her colouration, mostly black with milky white patterns across her wings and spikes, I tried to give her a name that relates to go with that theme.

She didn't like the simple ones, like Shadow, or Moony, or Luna. So, I decided to try something else. Namely, the same word in different languages. She hated Layl, Nychta, and Noctis, all of which are the word 'night' in different languages; Arabic, Greek, and Latin, respectively. She seemed to have a panic attack at the mention of Latin, but it ended within a few minutes. Unfortunately, I didn't come out unscathed. I now have a dragon-maw-shaped bite scar on my left shoulder, and a large burn scar on my right bicep. Nothing huge, I've been through worse, but the marks will stay.

Anywho, after that little incident, I made sure not to mention anything relating to Latin or the Latinos again. At least until could find out what happened to the dragon. After I managed to recover from that incident, thankfully I didn't need any serious medical attention from the village doctor, I continued to bring the dragon food and water until she regained the strength to hunt for herself. I struggled to find a good name for her until another strange incident occurred.

For some reason, the dragon thought she could forage for herself, despite still having a wounded shoulder and damaged wing. She came across a bush that had a particular species of berries growing. She'd gathered a good number of them before bringing them to the cave she'd been sleeping in and dug in. She was halfway through when I arrived. As I walked into said cave, I was just barely fortunate enough to avoid being covered in a large mass of purple goop that the dragon had hurled up. After shaking off my confusion, I looked at what the dragon was eating, and burst into laughter; she was eating Nightshade Berries. Fatal to humans, sickening to dragons.

And that is how my draconic friend came to have the name Nightshade.

She was reluctant at first, as she didn't want to named after any kind of fruit, but she began to consider it when I explained to her why it fit so well. For one, it would be an amusing tale of how she acquired the name. Two, Nightshade Berries are very dangerous, just like her. Three, it stuck with my night time/darkness theme I want for her name. And finally, it just sounded cool. Plus, it allowed for the cute nickname Nights. After that, it was downhill. She loved it, despite how the thought came about. And our bond grew ever closer.

Eventually she was able to fly short distances. Her wing was still damaged, but usable, so I didn't see the problem with her flying a little every now and again. It's not like I had any right to stop her. Of course, this caused the next incident. I was following her as she flew, in awe of how graceful she was in the sky. Unfortunately, the caused me to not watch where I was going, and stumbled right into a wolf's den, where I found a pack of around 12 wolves. And, in a moment of absolute idiocy and stupidity, I'd not collected my weapons before going out, so I was completely defenceless, and I don't fancy using my fists against a group of feral, snarling, angry wolves, so I went with the best possible solution; I ran. Without even looking where I was going.

Where did I end up running to?

A cliff, that's where.

The good part of that was that I was no longer in danger of being mauled by the wolves. The bad bit, I was falling to my death at an alarming rate. Say what you will about gravity having a steady acceleration, it felt like I was getting a little too fast a little too quickly, although that may have been the fear, adrenaline, prospect of death, etc. Of course, what would happen but a big, black, blur swooping in and saving me. It was Nightshade.

And that's how I started my 'hobby,' if you will, of Dragon Riding. After building a saddle, and _finally_ getting it onto her, I started flying with Nightshade, after her wing healed fully of course. She was at 100% health, but didn't leave. I didn't fathom why until one day I fell asleep just outside the cave she inhabited. When I woke up, I found Nightshade resting her head in my lap, with one of her wings draped over me for warmth. It was then that I felt the bond that had been struck between us. She cared for me, just as much as I cared for her. After waking up and having breakfast together, that was when we began playing. I was clinging to her neck, laughing hysterically, whilst she playfully tried to throw me off.

That's where it all went downhill.

My sister had gotten worried and sent a few of the village's warriors out to find me. When they found me playing with Nightshade, well, they didn't have much of a choice but to arrest me for disobeying our tribe's most sacred laws. They also went into the cave, and I have little doubt they found the saddle I built for Nightshade, and the other thing I used to tame her, the 'something extra' I mentioned earlier.

And that's how I ended up in my current situation. After being dragged from my cell, I now stand before my sister, who was sitting on her stone throne, an expression of sadness mixed with anger and betrayal on her face. She was a proud woman, standing, er, sitting up straight, her black armour contrasting with her pale skin and blonde hair, traits that I shared with her. Her green eyes held a sadness that only I could see.

I wore the usual uniform of our tribe's warriors, minus the cowl and mask, which were forcefully removed. And, as the Queen's younger brother, I had some armour plating that made me stand out from the rest of the warriors. My weapons, of course, were confiscated. To my right, behind several guards, was Nightshade. A small dragon, for her kind, due to her age. She had a long snout, with a small, curved horn in between her nostrils. Her eyes were a bright shade of teal, and her scales, black as the midnight sky, with a few milky white patterns across her wings and back. She walked on two legs, her wings being her only other limbs, which she still used to walk, and she had long white spikes running down her spine.

Meet Nightshade, the black and white Skrill.

"Harkon, Prince Defender of the Wing, you stand accused of crimes against our people, and the oppression of a dragon. How do you plead?" My sister, Mala, Queen Defender of the Wing, asked of me, keeping all emotion out of her voice.

"Not guilty." I responded in kind, my English accent matching hers perfectly.

"Do you have anyone to defend that claim?" She asked, calm as ever.

"I'll defend myself." I told her. With narrowed eyes, she sat back in her throne and crossed her arms.

"Very well." She said simply. Throk, my sister's Right-Hand man, and second in command, above everyone but my sister and I in rank, stood beside the throne. He was a tall, bulky, muscular man, with red hair and brown eyes. He was glaring at me calculatively, as if not knowing whether to kill me, or defend me.

"I met Nightshade, the Skrill I was found with, some months ago. She was injured, with a spear in her shoulder. I removed the spear and tended to her wound." I started.

"And why did you not go straight to the Dragon Healer?" Mala asked, still lacking any visible emotion.

"Nightshade's wounds were too great to move her. I feared she would succumb before I returned, or before I got her to the healer. I did what I felt was best; tend to her myself." I answered before continuing my story. "Over time, her wounds got better, and she got used to my presence, allowing me to pet her, and offering less resistance when I changed her bandages." I went on.

"And what did you do when she did resist?" My sister asked, again.

"As you know, Skrills find the presence of conductive metals soothing, it calms them down more than the Sage Fruit. I used my silver dagger to capture her attention, and kept the wound clean and sterile." I told her. She seemed to accept that answer and nodded. The silver dagger I had was the 'something extra' from before, if you didn't get that.

"Explain the situation from just before you were arrested." She ordered me.

"We were playing, that's it." I said simply. "Nightshade and I have been friends for months. She got mischievous, thought it was funny to steal my food." I sent a deadpanned glance to the young Skrill, who let out a laugh despite the situation, something Mala didn't miss. "In response, I pounced, whilst she tried to, playfully, throw me off. I was not in danger from her, and she was in danger from me." I stated firmly, hoping my sister would believe me. It was a few moments before she spoke again.

"One last question." She said, standing up. One of the guards brought the saddle I made. Crap. "How do you explain this?" She demanded calmly, glaring angrily. Yeah, she was upset.

"It… It was about a month ago." I sighed, bowing my head. "I had made a stupid mistake and fell off of the cliff, on the edge of the forest." Several people in the crowd muttered amongst themselves, and Mala even looked disturbed and worried by the revelation. "Nightshade came in at the last minute. She saved my life, and flew me across the entire island before landing." I sighed. "The exhilaration was something I wanted to feel again, under safer circumstances, so I build that saddle." I pointed to the piece of leather equipment she held. I was simple enough. It rested on the space on Nightshade's back that had no spikes, and had straps that circled around her neck and stomach, all of which came together and fit securely to a metal ring that rested on her chest. "I did not force her to fly me, nor did I force her to wear the saddle." I said quickly, yet firmly. "I never did anything that she didn't want me to do." I finalised.

"And what of the new scars?" She asked, making me wince at the memory. "The fang marks on your shoulder and the burn mark on your arm are consistent with a Skrill's fangs and electricity. Why did she attack you if you did not threaten her?" She narrowed her eyes again. Geez, I hate it when she does that.

"Whilst I tried to figure out a name for her, I suggested a few things in another language that she didn't like. One particular language seemed to remind her of something quite… unpleasant." I grimaced. "She had a panic attack, and bit me when I tried to calm her down. The burn scar on my arm is just more... collateral damage, as it were." I sighed when I heard a sorrowful coo from Nightshade to the side. He teal eyes were visibly conveying her regret from the incident. Mala didn't miss that either.

My sister gave the saddle back to the guard before sitting back down on her throne. She sat there in silence, listening to the whispers of Throk, and one of the guards who had arrested me for their input. When they stopped whispering, they stepped back as Mala closed her eyes resting her chin on her entwined hands, considering everything she had been told. For several painstaking moments, she sat like that, completely still. My hands were shaking slightly behind my back, and continued to do so until Mala finally opened her eyes. That's when every muscle in my body stood still.

"I've reached a decision." She said, standing up and walking a little closer. "Brother, I believe you when you say that you had no ill intentions with this dragon." She told me, making me calm down slightly. "However, you still broke one of our people's most sacred laws, and that cannot go unpunished." She said grimmly. Everyone was quiet, barely making a sound, or a move. "As such, I have no choice but to banish you from our island." She announced, making my eyes widen. "You will be given time to gather your possessions, and will be provided with provisions, and a boat. Beyond that, you are on your own." With that, she turned away, leaving me to be escorted to our house by Throk.

"I'm sorry, my Prince. The Queen has spoken." He remorsefully as he placed a hand on my shoulder, gently taking me to the house that Mala and I live in together. I just followed numbly.

* * *

Here I am, packing only essentials and my most precious items; my sword(a katana almost identical to Mala's), my bow, a quiver of arrows, and some gold. Should be enough to last me until I find a town or village to buy food in. And of course, I have some food. This is going to be a trying time for me, but I'm confident I can get through it. A banishment sentence is a seven year period where one is forbidden to return home or have any interaction with Defenders Island. I can take care of myself for seven years. And, if I run into Mala in the Northern Markets for example, that's not a problem, as I'm not on the Island, but I digress. I need to keep packing.

"Harkon." A voice called out. I turned and saw my sister, standing at my room's door, a saddened look on her face. "Harkon, I…" She trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Don't say anything Mala." I sighed, slinging my now packed satchel over my shoulder. "I had this coming. I couldn't keep Nights hidden forever." I shook my head. "I committed a crime, and I will pay my dues. I'm the Prince after all." I smiled wryly. "Nothing less is expected."

"You're also my brother." She reminded me. "And I… I have to banish you from our home." She looked down, sounding ashamed. "I hope you know that I don't want this." She said to me softly.

"Of course I do." I assured. "You may be my sister, but you're also the Queen. You have a duty to our people, and our ways." I reminded her this time. "Besides, I'm 18. I can handle myself out there." I promised her. With a sad smile, she came up to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, hugging me tightly. Feeling tears welling up in my eyes, I returned the hug. As we separated, she looked at me with a mix of regret, sorrow, and affection that only a big sister could have.

"I have something for you." She told me, walking out of my room. Intrigued, I followed her. She led me to the armoury, where we stored all our weapons and armour. In the corner of the room, I saw something that I didn't remember being there; an armour mannequin covered in a white sheet. "I had this made for your birthday, but I think now is a better time." She said with a wry smile, pulling the sheet off. I gasped at what I saw. The mannequin, now uncovered, was clad in a set of armour almost identical to my sister's, only it was more masculine, as Mala's was made, quite literally, for a Queen. It also had bright silver accents to replace the gold, making it less shiny, but no less beautiful. And the black steel was exactly the same as Mala's.

"By the Ancients…" I muttered, awed by the sight. That armour was truly a sight to behold. And… it was mine.

"As I said, it was supposed to be a birthday present, but your birthday is three months away, and…" She trailed off with a sad smile.

"Mala." I smiled at her, gaining her attention as I hugged her once more. "This is amazing, thank you." I said to her, tightening my hold on her. Once more, she hugged me again before letting me go.

"I'll let you change here, but then…" She trailed off.

"I have to go." I finished for her, nodding in understanding. "I understand Mala. Thank you." i smiled at her. She returned the smile softly and left the armoury, leaving me to change into the armour she made for me.

* * *

OK, this armour is _fantastic._ It fits perfectly, it's light, durable, and looks _awesome._ Adding on the fact that it comes with a hood, not a cowl, and a black upper half face mask, not unlike the Green Arrow, made of the same black steel as the rest of the armour. Couple that with my sword and bow, I looked badass. Shame it took me being banished to get this armour though…

Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.

Anyways, I was working on ensuring that the sails and mast of my little ship were in working order. It was a small vessel, but good enough for me to get around. As I dropped back down to the deck, I heard footsteps approaching. Turning, I saw it was Mala and Throk coming to see me off.

"My Prince." Throk gave a small bow. It warms my heart how he still sees me as his Prince despite everything that has happened.

"Harkon, we wanted to say a proper goodbye before you left." Mala told me sadly. Yeah, I can tell she really didn't want to banish me, but our tribe has customs, rules, and I broke them. This is my cross to bear. Seven years away from my home. I'll probably seek refuge in another village, or maybe a deserted island where I can live by myself. "I really wish I didn't have to do this." She sighed.

"This is my cross to bear Sister." I reminded her. "I have no ill feelings to you, or the village, for what has transpired. I do not blame you." I told her firmly. She nodded in acceptance, but it was clear that she was still unhappy.

"Prince Harkon, I am sad to see you go, but I wish you the best in the coming days. I fear you'll need it." Throk said regretfully.

"You have that little faith in me Throk?" I asked a smirk, holding out my hand. Returning my smirk, he gripped my hand in a firm handshake.

"Of course not." He looked right in my eye. Before anything else could be said, a loud roar echoed in the distance. A very familiar roar at that. Turning our attention, my sister, Throk, and I saw a certain black and white dragon flying towards us.

"I thought you set her free?" I asked my sister.

"I did…" She replied in awe as Nightshade landed in front of me. I could see she was holding something in her mouth, but I couldn't tell what.

"Hey Girl." I said, approaching her, hugging her snout. She purred happily at the gesture, nuzzling my chest affectionately. "I thought you were going home?" I told her as we separated. A large, reptilian smile spread across her face as she dropped whatever she was holding. It hit the dock with a loud _clank_ , but before I could see what it was, Nightshade used her long, slimy tongue and gave me a massive kiss across my chest. "Nightshade!" I cried out as she persisted. "You know that doesn't wash out!" I glared at her as best I could, but that face, I just couldn't. And the laugh he released wasn't helping. All I could do in response was fling the saliva hanging off of my hands at her face, thoroughly surprising her. She grumbled at the uncomfortable feeling, using her wing-claw to wipe her face, not unlike a cat.

"Well, that is certainly something." Mala said in a strange mix of surprise and amusement. She never has seen me interact with a dragon like this before. "You have some kind of bond with her, Harkon." She said, placing a hand on Nightshade's head. The Skrill purred at the contact, though she still seemed weary in the presence of other humans, besides myself.

"And she is a magnificent specimen of Skrill." Throk said admiring her beauty. "Never in our records have we seen a Skrill with such coloration. Very unique." He said with a wide smile.

"That's not all that's unique about her." I said with a fond smile. "She also has the ability to create balls of blue flame." I said, shocking them.

"Harkon, Skrills shoot bursts or streams of white fire, not blue orbs." Mala reminded me, sounding hesitant. Smirking at her, I pointed upwards.

"Nights, Plasma Bolt." I told her. Hearing the familiar words, Nightshade shot a blast of strange, but beautiful blue flames into the sky, shocking my sister and Throk. "The glands in her throat create a gaseous compound of acetylene and oxygen." I explained, crossing my arms as the blue fireball exploded in the sky. "When you ignite this compound, it burns blue." I finished, looking at the Skrill, who seemed proud to display her abilities. "And when she puts a lot of work into it, she can even make it burn white." I remembered.

"Fascinating…" Mala mumbled in shock and awe. I can understand that. As she said, Skrills don't usually shoot fire, only lightning. Nightshade still creates lightning just as easily as any other Skrill though, and she can attract lightning to her body in a storm too, just like every other Skrill.

"What did she bring?" Throk asked. Oh yeah, she bright something with her. Turning my attention to her feet, I was shocked to see what was laying before her. Picking it up, I showed it to Mala and Throk.

"The saddle…" My sister muttered in confusion.

"Nights." I said, getting the dragon's attention. "You don't need this anymore. You're free. You can go home." I told her, tossing the saddle aside. She let out a rumbling coo and waddled over to where the saddle landed and picked it up, before bringing it back. Her saliva just slid right off of it, thanks to the beeswax coating I applied. "Nights, no." I shook my head, kicking it to the side. She warbled in confusion, seeing my sad look, and pressed her snout to my chest. Smiling sadly, I placed my hand on her head, petting her softly.

"I don't think she wants to separate." Mala told me. I looked at her, and then back at Nightshade. "I suppose, what you do whilst you are banished is not really any of our concern, is it Throk?" My sister asked of her right hand man as she turned and walked away.

"No, I don't suppose it is, my Queen." Throk smirked, turning and walking after Mala. Wait, are they say what I think they're saying?

The question answered itself when Nightshade nudged me once more, holding the saddle again. Looking into her eyes, the shy hopefulness of a child shining in them, I couldn't help smiling. Giving her a single nod, I grabbed the saddle, and within record time, had it strapped to her back, secured tightly to the metal ring on her chest, to which she gave a happy growl. Grinning happily, I grabbed my satchel and leaped right up onto her back.

Without even a prompt from me, she shot straight up, and it was off we went.

The wind in my face, the speed at which Nightshade flew, the sight of the open sea, and the sense of absolute freedom I felt in the air with Nights was absolutely amazing. And it could only improve from here. The armour I wore was quenched in the saliva of the Great Protector, which is what gave it it's black coloration. It also had the added unintentional benefit of completely insulating the steel, meaning any electricity hitting me would not harm me, so Nights could recharge her lightning shots without worrying about hurting me, but I'm more interested in the fact that I _might_ be able to 'ride the lightning' with her.

Under normal circumstances, I would never even think of it. To ride the lightning, a Skrill has to get struck by a bolt of lightning, which supercharges their muscles and reflexes, allowing them to reach borderline _unnatural_ speeds. But, if I can protect myself from the lightning, I just might be willing to give it a shot.

"I suppose all we can do now is wait and see what the future holds, eh Nights?" I asked with a wide grin, my eyes no doubt shining behind the mask I now wore. Nightshade warbled in response as we flew off into the sunset.

* * *

 **OK, I've been wanting to write a RTTE fanfiction for some time now. I've just been unsure of how to go about it. My initial idea was for Harkon to be shipwrecked on the Edge, or Berk, but that seemed too simple to me. Then I thought of having Harkon being Astrid's twin brother, as another Haddock has been used before. And I thought having two sets of blond twins could be material for some intense humor, but I do not have the patience to write from the very beginning of the franchise. So, I went with making him Mala's little brother; Harkon, Prince Defender of the Wing.**

 **And, since Fishlegs and Heather never actually happened, I'll probably make this an OCxHeather pairing. I'm still debating in my mind on how the Riders and Harkon will meet, but I'll figure something out. I also need to deal with my overabundance of story ideas. I facepalmed when I realised that I had just started another story.**

 **Anywho, I'm almost done with a new chapter for Truth, Honor, Vision. Look forward to that!**


	2. Meaning of Family

I could see it. Trodding through the grass, grazing like there's nothing wrong at all, like all's right with the world, like it wasn't about to become my lunch. Slowly, and quietly, I slipped an arrow from my quiver, notching the end to the strong. Taking a slow, deep breath, I pulled back on the string, causing a light straining noise to sound through the air. I'd hoped my prey wouldn't hear it, and thanked the Gods that it didn't stop grazing. I just about to let the arrow fly when…

"Raaaaaaaawr!" A familiar, loud, and rather high-pitched roar resounded through the entire forest, making the small deer I was hunting shoot it's head up. And as Nightshade landed in the small clearing, roaring at the deer, it ran off, no doubt terrified.

"Nightshade!" I yelled, incredibly frustrated as the young Skrill turned and looked at me, letting out some laughter. So she thinks that was funny? "What was that for?!" I demanded. "That was gonna be my dinner!" I whined, jumping down from the hunting blind I'd been hiding in. Nightshade let out a confused rumble and pointed to the ocean with her snout. "Listen, you might be ok with nothing but fish and mutton to eat, but I'm not." I told her with a sigh.

"Rrrr?" She gave a questioning rumble, tilting her head.

"Listen, in the past three years, the only time I ever got some variety in my diet is if we stop at a market or pub, which doesn't happen often." I reminded her. "I need variety in my diet, and I decided I was in the mood for venison, that is, deer." I said simply, sighing heavily. Now I have to have fish or mutton again. Most likely fish, as wild sheep are not too common on this island. Eh, maybe I'll run into a wild boar or something. Heck, I'd eat a snake right now if I could find one. "Let's just head back to camp." I sighed, mounting my dragon. With a warble, she shot up into the sky.

It's been three years since I was banished by Mala for 'oppressing' a dragon. I spend most of my time on this island, one completely untouched by human hands. Mainly because of the Flightmare that's made this island it's habitat. At least, it is it's habitat during the time of year in which the glowing algae, well, glows. Currently, it is not glowing, so the Flightmare, dubbed Blaze by yours truly, is not currently inhabiting this island. Even if he was, I wouldn't be in any danger from him. I've already made it clear that I'm a friend, as is Nightshade. And, he should be returning within the month.

Anywho, anytime that is not spent on my little island is spent at inns or other such establishments in towns or villages that I visit. I've made several friends/acquaintances across the archipelago, and some beyond, both dragon and human, but none have compared to Nightshade, who's grown a lot since I left home. Back then, when she stood next to me, hunched over like Skrills normally are, her head would be levelled with my lower chest, without straightening her wings vertically to make herself look bigger that is. Now, when she stands behind me, she can rest her snout on my shoulder, again, without using her wings to make herself look bigger. She's still small compared to other Skrills, but that's because she was still an early teenager. Some dragons age at the same rate as humans, Skrills being among them. When I first found her, she was only just entering puberty, so that means about nine or ten years old. Now, she'd be 13, maybe 14.

She's easily the closest friend I've had in a long time, including some other friends I've had in my past lives. She's not like the innumerable pets I've had over the centuries. She's intelligent, sentient, and fiercely loyal to me, as I am to her. That's more than could be said for man of the human friends I've had, as well as the near human friends, aliens, elves, demons, etc. Won't find any of those in this universe unfortunately, but the dragons more than make up for that with all the mysteries and secrets they have, just waiting to be discovered.

A warble from Nightshade brought me out of my thoughts. "What's wrong?" I asked her. She gave a light croon, directing her snout to the storm clouds approaching. "Oh, I see." I smiled brightly. "Let's go." I told her, grinning with excitement. I love doing this just as much as she does.

As we approached the clouds, Nightshade started flapping her wings rapidly, rattling her scales, which generated static electricity. From all I've seen from her, I've discovered that Skrills can indeed redirect lightning from storms, but the bit about storing it in their bodies for later use is not completely true. Like any dragon, they have a shot limit, four shots to be exact. A dragon's body naturally produces fuel for their fire, so when their out, they slowly recharge. Skrills can wait, like any other dragon, or they can instantly charge up by flying into a storm, much like how a Typhoomerang can eat a couple of eels to recharge instantly. As for the Plasma Bolts, she has a seven shot limit there. There is more info on her Plasma Bolt, but I'll get to that another time.

Anywho, with the electricity that her scales generated, Nightshade developed a few small bolts of electricity sparkling around her body. As I stated before, my armour was completely insulated, meaning electricity that hit me would be completely harmless. It also helped that we were not touching the ground, so the lightning wouldn't be all that attracted to my armour in the first place. Still, every bit helps. Now, the electricity that Nights generated has given her body a charge. Positive or negative, I don't know, but now the lightning will be more attracted to her.

*Crack!*

A large lightning bolt hit her, making the electricity build up around her, and increase her speed. Damn, this is such a thrill, seeing the lightning strike Nights, feeling it empower her. I don't think I'll ever find anything that fills me with such adrenaline. Well, except for maybe one, _small_ little thing…

"So what do you say Girl? Wanna give the Jump another shot?" I asked with a grin. Nightshade stiffened before her head dropped in exasperation. "Oh come on Nights, it'll work!" I laughed. _"Probably"_ I added mentally. Tightening the harness I'd recently built in to the footholds of her saddle, specifically for the occasion, I gripped the small handles on the saddle tightly. Now I won't fall off.

*Booooom!*

Another bolt of lightning hit the young Skrill, increasing her speed further. "You ready?" I asked her, leaning forward so as to keep our combined weight as streamlined as possible. She warbled an affirmation, her eyes focussed. The electricity around her startled travelling around her body, and mine by extension, faster as we flew through the air. With one more hard flap of her wings, it grew in size, and the clouds startled crackling with thunder. "Alright Nightshade… Jump!" I cried out. With a loud roar, she pushed her wings back as a bolt of lightning hit us, and we both felt the pull as we rode the lightning.

* * *

"Wooooooohaaaaaaa!" I cheered as Nights and I soared through the lightning. It was an intense experience. The feeling of the electricity coursing through my entire body as we sped was exhilarating, though exhausting. And the sights, simply beautiful. It was like an electric version of Hyperspace or Warp Speed in Star Wars/Star Trek, but if you focussed, you could see your surroundings, rather than just the lightning tunnel-esque construct that we travelled through.

Unfortunately, the Jump, as I named it, is rather draining on me. Regardless of my origins, past lives, and experience with dragons, I'm still only human. In this world at least. And no matter now insulated my armour is, being electrocuted constantly is draining to anyone. I might not suffer any damage, but I will be drained. The first time I tried the Jump, I fell off and into the ocean. Drifted on a log for hours before Nights found me. The second time, I passed out from the strain and Nights flew me back home. As time went by, I've been able to get better and better at handling the Jump, but it's still far from perfected. Well, it is technically perfected, I'm just not used to it, but I digress.

The strain was started to get to me, and since the lightning was too loud for Nightshade to hear me, I placed my hand on the side of her neck, giving it a noticeable squeeze. When she felt this, she knew it was getting too much for me, and she instantly dropped out of the lightning. Finding the closest place to land, Nightshade glided down and landed on the first thing she could; a sea stack.

"Phew…" I breathed out, landing right on my ass as I practically fell out of the saddle. Leaning back, using my arms to support my weight, I slowly waited to catch my breath. Nightshade also gave a light croon of concern, leaning down to face me. "I'm alright Girl." I smiled tiredly at her, placing a comforting hand on her snout. "Just worn out is all." I let out a hard exhale, allowing all my body weight to fall to the ground, staring right up at sky, which was still covered in storm clouds.

"Crrrrr." Nightshade hummed, laying down beside me, her head on my stomach. Smiling, I pet her right behind her crown spikes, which she loves.

"At least we managed to land this time." I chuckled, which Nights returned. "Although…" I sat up, making Nights move her head to my lap. "I'm not gonna be able to do that again, at least, not today, and it's already sunset." I said, looking at the beautiful setting sun, just barely visible behind the clouds. "Given how long we were in the Jump, I'd say it'll take maybe six hour flight to get home." I sighed. "Maybe more."

"Vrrrr." Nightshade cooed happily at the thought. She does love long flights, I know that, and I do as well, but it's better when we do it together.

"Graaaah!" A sudden, loud roar in the distance brought me from my thoughts. Nights and I got up to see what it was. At the edge of the sea stack, we could see a single ship, with chains attached to a dragon, which was trying, and failing, to fly away. Frowning, I pulled out my binoculars, which was really just two spy-glasses that I had Nightshade weld together, and took a closer look.

"Dragon Hunters." I growled, anger seeping into my being as I saw the symbol on the boat's sails. They were reeling a small, rather young, Changewing in with their dragon-proof winches and chains. I hated those guys. I've had more than a few encounters with them, and even met Viggo Grimborn face to face once or twice. Unfortunately, I've never been able to actually get him. I'd like nothing more than to save countless dragons by running the bastard through, he's supposed to die by falling into a volcano on Dragon's Edge. At least, I think he is. I wouldn't be surprised if he survived that, but I never watched any of Race to the Edge from that point; I died before it came out.

"Grrr." Nightshade was clearly just as angered by their presence as I was. We'd heard about a Skrill that they'd slaughtered some time ago from a friend. More on them later, but right now, I need to save that Changewing.

"Come on Girl." I said, mounting her. She hissed in determinations, spreading her wings as electricity crackled around her. "Up high. We'll attack from above, throw them off, and give us a little time advantage." I told her. She warbled in understanding and shot up into the clouds, where we wouldn't be seen. Using my binoculars, I saw how the Changewing was putting up a fight. It's acid was indeed melting the chains, but there were several of them, and it couldn't get them all before being caught. My guess is that this group of hunters is formed specifically for the capture of Changwings, since their one of the precious few dragons that can escape dragon-proof cages.

As we circled the ship from high up, I prepped my bow and nocked an arrow. I've been practising shooting in the air, whilst moving and hitting moving targets. I'm sure I won't screw this up. I hope. I nudged Nightshade with my foot, telling her it's time. With a harsh snarl, she dived. Keeping my hold on my arrow, I waited until just the right time, right before Nightshade would fire. We were just seconds away from crashing into the ship when I released the arrow. It buried itself in one of the Hunters' eye, and fell to the floor.

"Now!" I ordered Nightshade. In an instant, she shot a Plasma Bolt at the ship before arcing away from the ship and circling back, sending several of the Hunter's flying.

"Dragon Rider!" The captain of the ship hollored, and the crew members that weren't unconscious or dead aimed their crossbows and bows Nightshade and I. "Fire!" He yelled. A small barrage of Dragon Root arrows/bolts flew towards Nights. Expertly, she dodged them all without any trouble.

"Nightshade, Lightning!" I ordered as I readied another arrow. Nights opened her mouth and shot a bolt of lightning at the ship, causing the mast and several crates and barrels to set a light. This distracted several of the Hunters that were holding the young Changewing, giving it a chance to burn through the remaining chains. Unfortunately, it had a Dragon Root arrow embedded in it's leg. With its sense overwhelmed, it was just barely able to whittle its way through the air and land on a nearby rock. "Alright then, now that that's out of the way…" I trailed off with a wicked grin. I directed Nightshade up before turning her 180, heading straight for the ship. "Plasma Bolt! Full power!" I yelled. She let out a loud roar and shot a white hot blast of fire that burst right through the ship. With a satisfied smile, I flew off towards the injured Changewing, leaving the ship to sink.

As I landed on the large rock that the young Changewing had, I was able to get a good look at it. It was small, probably small enough to fit on Nightshade's wing if she extended it. And judging by it's build, I'd have to say that it was male. A very young male. And he was one of the less than common green Changewings. As for the arrow, after pulling it out, I had Nightshade incinerate it so that the solution on the tip wouldn't grow into more Dragon Root, then I tended to the Dragon. I gave it some of the antidote for Dragon Root that I'd prepped for surprises, made from Bitterweed, Fire Fern, and Purple Oleander.

"Whoa!" I yelped when the Changewing suddenly hurled up a massive puddle of acid. With the antidote now in his system, he should be regaining his senses. And that means he'll be able to see me clearly, and will probably think I'm an enemy. Fuck. "Yipe!" I yelped, rolling to the side as it suddenly saw me and shot a blob of acid. Do NOT want to get hit by that.

"Grrrrr." Nights growled at him, ready to pounce.

"Nights, no." I told, holding a hand before her. She relaxed her posture, but kept her glare focussed on the small Changewing, who was still glaring at me, as if it didn't register Nightshade's presence at all.

"Rssss." He hissed at me with a snarl.

"Rssss." I returned the hiss, snarling myself. This shocked the Dragon, who dropped it's angered face to look at me with confusion.

This is the best way to train a Changewing; mimic it's actions. No doubt stemming from their ability to camouflage, they respond well to mimicry. So, by mimicking their actions, one can convince a Changewing that they are not the enemy, as I am doing so eloquently right now. When he tilted his head in confusion, I copied the action, and only turned my head back when he did. As he narrowed his eyes, so did I. When he took a step forward, that's when I went in for the proverbial kill. He stepped forward with his right front paw, so I extended my right arm, letting my hand hovering a small distance away from his face. Hesitantly, he leaned forward and sniffed it, not leaving my eyes with his. After an extremely long moment, he leaned right into my hand, resting the tip of his snout against my palm.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Now that that's out of the way." I said, leaning over to inspect his wounded leg. He let me touch it without any problems. "This'll sting a little, but it'll help." I told him soothingly. Even if he couldn't fully understand me, I'm sure he gets the message from my tone of voice. Carefully, I poured a little bit of the Dragon Root antidote on his wound, making him hiss in pain. The antidote has the added benefit of preventing infection in a wound like this, and it ensures little scar tissue. "There we go." I smiled at him, petting his head. "Who's brave little fella?" I cooed, smiling as he leaned into m hand, purring.

"Hff!" I heard a huff to the side. Nights was looking at me with frustrated narrow eyes before looking away, her nose in the air.

"Ha! Don't be jealous Nightshade." I shook my head, standing up and walking over to her. "You're still my Number One Dragon" I grinned widely at her, petting her behind her crown spikes again. This time, I hit a spot that makes her putty in my hands, right behind the fifth spike on the left. She started purring ridiculously loudly, leaning into me. "There's my girl." I grinned smugly as she suddenly backed off, knowing what I was doing. When she glared at me, I gave her the most innocent smile I could before walking over to the Changewing, who seemed intrigued by our interactions. "Alright Nights, here's the deal." I said, picking up the Changewing. He seemed startled by the action, but he didn't object. Though he was a little big, and it did take some effort on my part, I was able to carry him to Nightshade's back. "This little guy is too small to fly all the way to Changewing Island, so we're going to give him a lift." Nights huffed as I mounted her. "And once we return home, I promise to shower you with as much love and affection as you want. Complete with two half-cooked spitroasted sheep, your favorite, and nice brush down with the silver brush I bought. Deal?" I asked.

"Croo?" She perked up at the mention of the silver brush. I'd bought a wire brush some time ago, and it's wires were made of pure silver, like my dagger. Being like any other Skrill, loving the presence of conductive metals, and that seemed to extend to being bushed with conductive wires. As for the half cooked sheep, sheep is the food of choice for most Skrills, and for some reason that I cannot fathom, Nightshade loves eating half-cooked mutton. Dragons can eat raw meat just fine, and most don't seem to like cooked meat, but Nights loves half-cooked mutton. Just another bullet to add to the list of things unique about my dragon.

"Deal?" I repeated, leaning a little to see her face better as she looked over her shoulder to look at me.

"Rrrr!" She rumbled happily, taking off. I smiled in satisfaction at striking the deal. The Changewing cried out in awe, seeing the height we were able to fly at. Being so young, he probably hasn't flown all that high before just yet, so I can understand how that would be exciting for him.

With an amused chuckle, I shook my head and directed Nights towards Changewing Island, where the little guy will no doubt find a home.

* * *

"Wah!" I yelped as I dodged a blob of acid from a cloaked Changewing. "Finally." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. We'd been looking for hours. After landing on Changewing Island, which took at least 12 hours to get to, Nights and I started walking through the forests, hoping to find a pack of wild Changewings that would take the guy we found in. I'm certain they would; Changewings are fiercely loyal to their own kind, and heavily pack-orientated. If a hatchling is all alone, then he'd find a home here.

There was just the case of finding a pack in the first place. Apparently though, one found us instead.

"Hssss." Nights hissed sending a glare at the red Changewing that uncloaked itself. Several seconds later, a couple more uncloaked, showing that I was surrounded.

"Calm down Nightshade." I said to my dragon softly, holding a hand out in the universal 'stop' gesture. She calmed her posture and stopped the hissing, but didn't let her guard down. Nor did her glare let up. "I am not an enemy." I said the alpha of this little pack, a large red Changewing, darker than the other red ones. Not quite a Titan Wing, but he's getting there. All he did in response to my words was climb down from the tree he was standing on and level his head with mine. "I found this little one about to be captured and no doubt exploited yesterday." I spoke, softly again, as I clicked my fingers in Nightshade's direction. Picking up on what I wanted, she turned a little and showed the small Changewing that was on her back. Seeing one of his own, he perked up and jumped off of her, scampering over towards the Alpha Changewing and I.

"Rrrrr?" The Alpha tilted it's head, seeing the hatchling standing next to me.

"He was about to be captured by some very bad people when I intervened." I explained, petting the little guy next to me. He cooed happily at the gesture. "I brought him here because I knew he'd have a home here." I continued, nudging the little guy forward. Nervously, he approached the Alpha, his head crouched down as he looked up at the bigger dragon. Narrowing his eyes, the Alpha leaned down and sniffed the little guy, making his breath speed up a little with nerves. Pulling back, he let a light huff before turning away, climbing back into the tree and disappearing. Judging by the way the little guy perked up, I'd guess that's a good sign. As the remaining Changewings climbed up and disappeared from sight, the little guy looked up at me.

"Cree?" he squeaked questioningly, almost as if asking if it's ok.

"Go on." I smiled at him. Giving out a cyr of joy, he gave me one big lick on my face and scampered up the tree. As he looked back at me once more, I smiled, wiping the miniscule amount of saliva off of my face. "Go on." I repeated, smiling. He gave one more loud cry of delight before continuing on his way. Releasing a loud exhale, I looked at Nightshade with a tired smile. "What's say we find someplace to sleep, eh Girl? Someplace _not_ inhabited by numerous packs of territorial acid-shooting dragons?" I asked, walking over to her and jumping up into the saddle. "Then we can head home and you'll get that brushing I promised." I received a light shock for that. "And the sheep, yes, I know." I sighed. Giving a happy coo, Nights extended her wings and took off.

* * *

"Finally!" I cheered, having nailed a deer in the neck. It fell to the ground, all life in its body lost, as it bled out, a process which took little more than three seconds with the arrow having sliced through it's jugular. "At last, something other than mutton and fish." I sighed happily, jumping down from the hunting blind I'd used to keep my presence hidden. With an eager smile, I grabbed the now dead deer by its hind legs and hauled it over to my campsite, where I could skin it and cook it. I'll feed inedible or gross bits to Nightshade. She doesn't seem to mind eating raw animal intestines or hearts. Ugh…

It's been a few days since I took that young Changewing to Changewing Island, and things have been quiet for me since then. No Dragon Hunters in the area to raid, no injured dragons in the area that need help, and it'll be a few months before Blaze stops by here, since the glowing algae won't be glowing until then. I am in need of some supplies though, so I'll be heading to a market or something soon. I'll probably use the last of my spices on the deer I just killed, and I need some tools and materials for a project I've been working on.

Anyways, as soon as I got back to camp, I got to work on the deer. I made quick work of it's pelt and set it aside. I could use it for making some leather. It won't be a lot, but it could be of some use. I need some leather straps for the little project I'm working on, and I could probably use it for making a new grip for my sword; it has gotten a little worn out in the past few years. After setting the pelt aside, keeping it spread with the fur side down, I got to work on separating the legs of the carcass, right at the groin area, taking with them as much meat as possible. I set them on the hide, keeping it off of the dirt, and then got to cutting out the backstraps. As I moved to set them on the hide, I noticed Nightshade about to grab one of the legs.

"Oi! Don't touch!" I scolded her. She responded with a growl, glaring defiantly. "You get all the mutton and fish you want. This is mine." I said firmly. She let out a huff, walking away as she grumbled, almost like a child saying 'no fair!' "Hey, I never eat anything that you hunt." I reminded her. She growled in irritation, setting herself down on the ground, looking away from me. Rolling my eyes, I got back to work.

After getting the second backstrap onto the pile of meat on the hide, and cutting away all the back sinew to make a new bowstring, I continued on to the gut sack, slicing it open and letting all the organs fall out. Gagging slightly at the smell, I cut out the liver, heart, and kidneys, setting them on the hide. I got rid of the remaining organs, as I had no use for them, and moved on the the tenderloins and ribs. I was thankful that the skinning knife I'd bought some time ago was able to cut through the bones of an animal, though with some effort. Once all of the meat was resting on the hide, I went over to the barrel I had at my camp. Opening it, one could see the liquid that was inside, as well as several cuts of meat from my prior hunts. Salt Brine was a common method of preservation in these times. Not as effective as pickling or salt layering, but I don't need it to last for years, so the brine was enough.

I carefully placed each cut of meat into the solution with the rest, being sure to remove some of the liquid whenever it got too close to the top. Once I'd placed all but a few cuts, one of the hindquarters, the heart, the kidneys, and the liver specifically, I closed the barrels and walked over to the fire pit I'd built.

"Hey Nights." I called out to the young Skrill, who looked at me with still visible annoyance. "Oh don't be like that." I rolled my eyes, picking up the deer's heart and tossing it to her. She instantly perked up and chomped the organ out of the air, devouring it happily. Yuck. "You mind lighting this up for me?" I asked her, pointing to the fire pit and holding up the liver. Eying the piece of meat, she sent a small Plasma Bolt at the pit, which slowly turned to a normal flame. "Thank you Nightshade." I smiled, tossing her the liver. What followed was the same as with the heart, as was the case with the kidneys. I reiterate, yuck.

Now, whilst I waited for the fire to get hotter and ready for cooking, I got to work on cutting up the deer hindquarter. A deer's hindquarter holds five cuts of meat, an eye round, a top round, a bottom round, a sirloin, and a shank. It's easy enough to separate the cuts. If you just slice in the right areas with your knife, they should come apart relatively easily. Then it's just a case of cutting of all the excess fat and sinew before cooking them. By the time I was done, the fire was roaring hot and ready to cook the meat. So, I grabbed a long, thin metal bar that I use specifically for this purpose and skewered the meat, letting it hang off of two stands over the fire. You could call this spitroasting, but I didn't impale the entire carcass through it's asshole and out it's mouth, so I don't know if this counts. Anyway, after sprinkling some seasoning on the top halves of each cut, I sat down by Nightshade, and waited for the meat to cook. I'd turn it over shortly and repeat the process.

* * *

"Almost done." I sighed dreamily as I spun the venison around again, applying one last pinch of seasoning. One more spin after this and it should be good. Ready for the delightful ritual of nature that is the consumption of delicious foods. It has been way too long since I'd had anything that was not lamb/mutton or of the sea. And there aren't very many deer on this island, so finding one so soon after one running away was indeed a stroke of good luck.

"Rrrrr…" I heard Nightshade rumbling in her sleep. I smiled at the sight, though with a small shake of my head. It's barely sunset and she's already out like a candle in a snowstorm. And she was laying in the cutest, most ridiculous way possible; on her back, her wings strewn out to the sides as far as they would go, and her snout was resting on the ground upside down, perfectly perpendicular to her wings. And her tail, hah! Her tail was swaying side to side, probably without her even being aware of it.

"Lazy reptile." I smiled, getting back to the food. Finally~ Tis done! After taking the metal bar off of the stands and getting all of the meat onto a large plate, I was about to grab the eye round and and cut off a piece of the sirloin, when all of a sudden, a loud roar, caught my attention.

And it wasn't Nightshade's.

"Raaaarrrrr!" The roar sounded in the distance, getting louder. Focussing my attention on the direction the roar was coming from. Sure enough, I could see the shape of a dragon approaching. It was long and slim, with a long, thin tail. It's wings were long and shiny, and it had four legs, unlike Nights. As it grew closer, I could see a hint of bright green eyes. It took a few seconds before I figured out who it was.

"Windshear!" I said loudly, a wide smile on my face. The steel clad dragon roared in delight in response to my calling out her name. As soon as she landed, Nightshade shot up from her nap, ready to attack whatever was coming at her. Then she saw who it was and let out a cry of joy at the sight of her friend.

"Hey, Harkon." Windshear's rider, a raven haired girl with beautiful emerald eyes greeted me. She wore a brown leather chest piece over a long sleeved grey tunic, which was mostly covered up by her arm guards and shoulder guard, both of which were made from Windshear's loose spines, and the aforementioned chest piece. She wore a dragon scale skirt, also covered with armour plating made from Windshear's spines, and her outfit was completed with a pair of dark leggings and fur boots.

"Heather!" I smiled widely at my friend. She was the one who told me of the slaughtered Skrill some time ago. She was raiding a Dragon Hunter ship and found a Skrill carcass skinned and butchered. Nights and I have been more ruthless when raiding them ever since. "Wait, what's wrong?" I asked, walking up to her as I saw the somber look on her face.

"I… I found something out a few days ago and…" She trailed off with a sigh. "I wanted to deal with it by myself, but…" She hugged herself, a broken look on her face. "At the same time, I didn't want to be alone… I just… didn't know who else to turn to." She sighed. Giving her a sympathetic look, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. She stiffened at the contact, but quickly relaxed.

"Heather, you're my friend, and I will always be here for you, OK?" I asked, separated from her, looking into her eyes. "If you need help, provisions, or just want to talk, I'm always here, you got that?" I asked. She smiled softly and nodded, hugging me this time. I was about half a head taller than her, so it was easy for her to bury her face in my shoulder.

"Thanks Harkon…" She murmured, her voice muffled by my armour.

"Anytime Heather." I smiled, embracing her once more. As we separated, I lead her to the bench that rested by the fire pit. "Are you hungry? I just finished cooking up some venison. There's plenty." I told her.

"That sounds great." She said with a tired but sincere smile. Smiling back, I nodded and went to cut up some meat for the two of us. The rest I'd hang up later and use to make dried meat, just for something different.

* * *

"So, you had Dagur at axe point, but your friend on the Night Fury came in and told you he was your brother?" I grimaced. Of course I already knew this. I'd watched Riders of Berk, Defenders of Berk, and the first four seasons of Race to the Edge. As stated before, the last thing I saw was Viggo falling into a volcano. I don't know what happened after that. Except for the second movie of course. "That is…" I trailed off not knowing what to say.

"Insane? Crazy? Deranged?" Heather supplied miserably. Finding out that he who decimated her village was her own flesh and blood has clearly hit her hard.

"Surprising." I corrected as we both smiled wryly. Nightshade and Windshear had fallen asleep next to each other in the corner of my campsite.

"You know what Dagur called me before I flew off?" She asked with a humourless smile. "Heather the Unhinged." She sighed. "Then he said that he knew I'd be back, and that he'd welcome me with open arms." She set her food aside burying her face in her hands. "What do I do?" She asked softly.

"Who says you have to _do_ anything?" I asked. Her head shot up in confusion.

"What?" She asked incredulously.

"Heather, what does the word family mean to you?" I asked, setting my own food aside for now, scooching over to her. "Is family just blood, and nothing else? Or is family about those who you love and care for?" I asked, taking her hand comfortingly. "My people believe that blood is just that, blood, and nothing more." I smiled softly. "Several decades ago, the King and Queen of my home actually adopted a young girl. And when they passed, that little girl inherited the throne." I explained, telling her of my now deceased grandmother. For the record, I haven't told Heather that I'm a Prince, or anybody really. It gets in the way of a good conversation. Right now, Heather is my main focus.

"They'd let someone they're not related to rule?" Heather asked in surprise. Understandable. Most monarchies wouldn't let one who doesn't have royal blood sit on the throne. The Defenders of the Wing were not one of them.

"As I said, blood doesn't matter to us. We believe that family is about love, those you care for, not those that you share blood with." I reminded her. "So, what is family to you? Blood? Or love?" I asked her.

"I… I loved my Mom and Dad…" She whispered. "They raised me… They loved me…" She continued, wiping away a few tears before they could fall. "Oswald the Agreeable, I know he loved me, but…" Her breath hitched.

"He didn't raise you." I finished for her. She nodded. After a moment, the dams broke. She started crying openly. Heather, this strong, passionate young girl, was crying before me. Smiling sadly, I draped an arm around her. She didn't object. She just let herself cry, something that rarely happens with her. Like I said, Heather's a very strong girl. This kind of vulnerability is not something she normally allows for herself. However, with such a huge emotional blow, like learning that the man she despises more than anything is actually her brother, that'd break anyone's walls. All I can do right now is be here for her.

That in mind, I sat there, holding her until she fell asleep.

* * *

It was a tough night. Sleeping next to your dragon as she uses her wing to cover you is not as comfortable as it sounds. Sure, it was warm, thanks to Nightshade's body heat, but there was not a comfortable position that I could sleep in. So now, as I wake up under Nightshade's wing, having let Heather use my bed for the night, I find myself incredibly stiff and sore. It'll go away in a few hours, but I should really make space in the shelter I built for a second bed. Heather's the only one who actually comes here, and I'd like to avoid being this stiff in the future.

Once I'd managed to work out all the kinks in my muscles, thank the Gods I didn't sleep in my armour, just a pair of brown leather pants and a black tunic, I went over to the salt brine barrel and fished out a nice big piece of mutton for Nights, as well as a fish for myself. Walking over to the sleeping lizard, I nudged her a little, earning a few rumbling groans of displeasure.

"Come on Nights, wake up. I need to head to the Northern Markets today." I told her. Judging by the sun's position, I would say it's about late morning. 10 or 11am. "We slept rather late, so wake up and eat up." I told her, dropping the brine in front of her. She huffed and opened her eyes sleepily, lazily digging into to the sheep whilst I entered my hut. "Hey Heather, I'm about to make…" I stopped in the middle of the sentence as a delicious smell hit my nose. On my workbench, there was a bowl with four perfectly cooked yak chops. Under said bowl, was a folded piece of paper. Setting the fish I held down, I picked up the piece of paper and opened it.

It was a short letter, from Heather.

 _Harkon,_

 _Sorry for bailing on you when you were asleep. I spent half the night awake thinking about what you said, and I decided you were right. Dagur may be my own flesh and blood, but he is not my family. He still killed my parents, the ones who raised me. I can't just let that go. I hope you understand._

 _Thank you for being a good shoulder to cry on last night, both literally and figuratively. You've helped me in so many ways, I figured leaving behind some breakfast was the least I could. I promise I won't stay away for so long this time. And I'll be sure to send letters._

 _Heather._

 _PS: I saw some of your designs. If you manage to make those wrist blades, I'd like one._

I couldn't help smiling at the last bit, shaking my head. Typical Heather. Smart girl, proud and strong, but incredibly sneaky, sly and more curious than a cat. I had indeed been working on putting together a set of Assassin's Creed style wrist blades. And I was almost finished. I just needed to perfect the trigger mechanism. They were themed after Connor Kenway's blades from Assassin's Creed III, in that one could twist the blade to a regular knife grip, or a reverse grip.

Still though, I think I have more pressing issues to think of. I didn't think about it last night because I was focussed cheering Heather up, but if she found out about Dagur being her brother, then that means Race to the Edge has already started. And if she's going after him now, that means she's about to 'join' the Dragon Hunters. Shit's about to get real, which means I need to confirm my little theory about the Dragon Eye soon. If I'm right, it may just turn the tides of the war with Viggo to the Dragon Riders' favour.

* * *

 **OK, I just have to say this, I have a BIG surprise concerning the Dragon Eye in this story. Something about it nagged at the back of my mind for a long time, and after getting several other opinions, I finally made a decision. You should find out within a few chapters. I don't know how many, but it will only happen after Viggo gets the Dragon Eye. And no, I won't be preventing that. If Viggo** _ **doesn't**_ **get the Dragon Eye, Hiccup won't build the awesome new Night Fury themed one. So yeah. That's still happening.**

 **Now, concerning the Hidden Blades. I always thought they would be awesome in the HTTYD universe. One individual suggested it a few days ago, though I had been planning it from the start. I also intend to include the Phantom Blade in here. If anyone else has any idea for a mechanical wonder, I'm all ears. Nothing from RWBY though. I've never watched it. That animation hurts my eyes, literally.**

 **Also, was Heather's first appearance here a little too… weepy? For lack of a better term. I figured she'd be horror struck finding out Dagur, the man who slaughtered her family, was actually her blood brother. She is a rather tough individual, but a massive blow like that would make anybody break down. At least, in my eyes. What do you guys think?**


	3. Rescue

"Really? You won't take gold?" I asked in a frustrated sigh. I'd come to the Northern Markets, a few days after my encounter with Heather, in order to restock on several items I'd been running low on: seasoning for meat, some fruits and vegetables, mutton for Nights, some arrows, and a whole lot of other things. Once I'd gotten all that, I went to a particular stand that had what I needed to complete the hidden blades. At least, I think so. I might be wrong, but if the design works, then I'll have two sets of Hidden Blades at my disposal. Heather said she wanted one, so I don't see any reason to deny her.

Now, the last piece of the proverbial puzzle is a special gear made in Greece. It's rather unique in several ways, I won't bore you with the details, and if I adjust my design only slightly, it should complete the mechanism. One of the reasons it's perfect, is the size and durability. It's about twice as big as a human thumbnail, and made of a rather durable alloy. Only problem is, the old man that runs this stand doesn't want gold for the four gears he has.

"I'm an old man, with enough gold to retire." He shrugged. True enough. He was quite wrinkled, his hair was grey, and I think he was blind in one eye. His clothes also looked rather worn, but were otherwise in good condition. "More gold won't have much use to me. If you can trade something exotic or interesting enough, then these gears are yours." He said, eying the katana that hung on my back. "That sword of yours would do. It'd make a good gift for my son; he's getting married soon." He told me.

"Happy as I am for him-" Sarcasm dripped between my teeth. "-my sword's not for sale, or up for trade, Old Man." I gave him a light glare. He simply shrugged in response. "I do have something else though…" I trailed of reluctantly. Reaching into one of the crevices that were naturally built into my armour, I pulled out a shuriken, one of 12 that Mala gave me for my 18th birthday. I then proceeded to pull out another three, for a total of four.

"I don't know what those are, nor do do I care to ask." The old man said lazily. In response, I took one of them and threw it right in the direction of his face. I didn't actually hit him of course, but the star did cut off the tip of his overly long mustache, and the buried itself in one of the wooden poles keeping his stand up. He looked at me in shock and fear for a moment before snapping out of it. Sending an angry look my way, he went over to the pole and pulled the shuriken out. With some effort that is.

"They're called Shuriken." I told him, placing the other three on his stand's table. "Or 'Throwing Stars' if you want a simpler term. A quieter, more deadly version of a throwing knife." I explained, crossing my arms. "They were made by the same smith who forged my sword." I tapped one of my knuckles on my katana's handle for emphasis. The old man looked at the objects, intrigued at the make of the unique weapon. Well, unique to a Viking anyway. Ninja, like the Defenders of the Wing are not exactly common in Scandinavia. I think the Defenders might actually be the only ones.

"Very well." The old man decided, placing the four gears in a small box and swiping up the four shuriken. "Four Greek gears. Can't fathom what you're using them for." He said, passing me the box. Opening it, I smiled at the sight of the gears. I just wanted to make sure I got all four of them. This guy doesn't exactly scream 'trustworthy' to me. Or maybe he's just a bit of an ass.

"I'm a bit of a tinkerer." I told him, closing the box and tucking it into my satchel. "These gears are just what I need to finish a little pet project." I grinned widely at the prospect.

"Well, good luck to you then." The old man stretched. Nodding back to him, I went on my merry way, towards the forest, where Nightshade was hiding. My intention was to head home, whip up a snack, and work on finishing up the Hidden Blades. Unfortunately, well, it's actually more fortunate than unfortunate, a couple of Dragon Hunters, who were browsing the Iron Mason's stand, were a little too loud when discussing a dragon that'd apparently been caught a short while ago.

"How did they catch that thing?" One of them asked.

"Lured it in with some special iron sand. Hear those guys love to eat sand." The other responded. Eating sand? Interesting. Very interesting… "Left it in a cage with a solid bottom so it couldn't burrow." Burrow huh?

"What are they going to do with it?" The first one asked.

"Well, I think it fires big balls of sand that are on fire. If they can harvest those flamin sand balls, would make for good catapult ammo." The second guy responded. Balls of flaming sand? Sounds familiar...

"Where's it now?"

"Ryker's takin it to some nameless rock east of Lycanwing Island. Remote and hidden, so those pesky Dragon Riders don't find it."

That was all I needed to hear. After getting a location, I bolted in the direction that Nights was hidden. If what I'm thinking is correct, then Viggo just got his hands on a very dangerous, very rare, and very powerful dragon. A dragon that eats sand, shoots balls of hardened sand that were on fire, and burrows through the ground. Yeah, there is little doubt in my mind. There's only one dragon that fits that description, and evolutionary cousin of the Night Furies.

Viggo Grimborn had captured a Sand Wraith.

XXX

So, after getting on Nightshade and bolting, quite literally, back to our island, I immediately pulled up a map and looked for Lycanwing Island. The hunter said that the 'nameless rock' they were keeping the Sand Wraith on was East of Lycanwing Island. There were a couple of islands in that direction, some named, some not, but I don't expect this to be a huge operation. If all they're doing is harvesting it's sand shots, then I doubt they'd feel the need to build some kind of huge facility or establishment. No, a small island would do the trick.

That in mind, I still can't just go charging in. This is a valuable dragon that they have, the Sand Wraith, and I've no doubt the Dragon Hunters will do what they can to keep it. If that's the case, I can expect catapults, ballistas, or at least some fortifications. Taking that into account, a night assault would be the best choice, given Nightshade's stealthy capabilities. Also, if I attacked on a night where there's a storm, even better. We could strike without them suspecting a Skrill at play.

XXX

After several days of scouting, spying, and planning, the day had finally come for Nights and I to rescue the Sand Wraith from the Dragon Hunters. Or night, as it were. It takes a couple of hours to get there, so we would leave before sunset. The island they had the dragon on wasn't huge, but it was big enough. Plenty of greenery, trees, and even a small pond. At one end of the island, there was a small cave, just barely big enough for a few people and a cage to fit. No doubt that's where they were harvesting the Sand Wraith's flammable sand ball shots.

I would have to do something about those too. They set on fire easily, but that doesn't do much to damage them. Viggo would probably make good use of even a few of them. I don't feel particularly comfortable leaving any in his grasp. However, the dragon is my first priority. I need to get it out of there first. I have entertained the possibility that there is no Sand Wraith, and that this a trap set by Viggo, but I don't think the Dragon Riders have caused enough trouble for him to warrant such a thing yet. I mean, by now Heather would have joined the Dragon Hunters, meaning that the Dragon Riders have either not met Ryker yet, or they only just met recently.

All in all, there's a chance this is not a trap. I won't let my guard down though. I might have to fight Heather to keep her facade up. She may be shocked to see me, but I'll have to sell that I think she joined them for real. Easy enough. When you live a life(read: lives) like mine, you developed an uncanny skill in the art of acting. Sometimes to the point it's subconscious. For example, I was once _truly_ shocked and horrified that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's father. Then I remembered who and what I am, and it passed. Like I said, subconscious.

Anyways, Nightshade and I left for the island shortly before sunset, headed for the Sand Wraith. It was a long flight, so made sure to rest while I could as Nightshade flew. Surprising, how comfortable it is to sleep on Nightshade's back whilst flying. When I strap myself down that is. Nuff said. Also, I was able to complete the Hidden Blades. I didn't bother making a gauntlet or anything like that for them, considering I already have armguards from the armor Mala gave me. Instead, I designed them in such a way that they could attached to any arm covering, be it steel, leather, or fabric. One will attached to Heather's Razorwhip quill arm guards quite easily. Also, there's no string or ring that will the mechanism. That is not an efficient design. Instead, I made a strap of leather that wraps tightly around the wrist of wielder, and attached to the mechanism. That way, it's impossible to accidentally activate. One must give a very specific and particular flick of the wrist to activate it.

"This going to be a long flight, isn't it Girl?" I asked with a soft sigh as I brought my hood up. As I placed my mask over my eyes, Nightshade only gave a warble of agreement. Sighing again, I strapped my feet to the saddle and laid my head underneath Nightshade's crown spikes. "Wake me up when we're there Girl…" I whispered, closing my eyes. She rumbled softly in acknowledgement. It may seem insensitive to sleep whilst Nightshade flies, but this dragon is almost literally a scaly ball of electrical energy. I've seen her stay awake for days without any hint of fatigue. An occurrence not uncommon with pubescent Skrills apparently. With that on my mind, I can't really find myself feeling all that bad about sleeping while she flies.

XXX

I woke up before we arrived, and after a small snack and bathroom break to keep my bladder empty and mine and Nightshade's bellies full, we arrived at the island less than an hour after I awoke. Unfortunately, there weren't any storm clouds that the Hunters could blade for lightning strikes, so I would have to keep the electricity a last resort. A Plasma Bolt would distract them well enough, but not nearly all of them. I'd have to systematically take them all out before I get to the Sand Wraith.

And they were everywhere.

Nights and I did a few circles around the island, to get bird's eye view, or a dragon's eye view, as it were, at the island. There were about 50 guards in total. At least half of them were scattered across the forests, whereas the others guarded the cave entrance. Some of them were inside, no doubt working the Sand Wraith to exhaustion, having it eat copious amounts of sand, and producing hardened, flammable sand balls for their catapults.

"Alright Girl, down, nice and easy." I said to Nightshade. With a sot warble, she gently, and silently, hovered down to the trees. When she was just a few meters above ground, I hopped out of the saddle, grabbing onto a branch to break my fall, and swung to the ground, landing in a crouch. Using hand signals, I instructed Nightshade to fly above and distract any guards she can. She'd do this by shooting down at them or something. I'm not sure.

Growling in acknowledgement, she took to the skies, leaving me to do my work, whilst she did hers. Stringing my bow, I nocked an arrow and headed towards the cave. I stuck to the shadows, keeping my bow ready, as I stalked towards the cave. It wasn't long before I was able to see the cave, though not without dispatching some of Hunters though. I narrowed my eyes, waiting for Nightshade to make her move.

"Oi." A voice said behind me as a hand gripped my shoulder. Instantly, I grabbed the huge hand and twisted it, turning and facing the one who'd grabbed me. It was a Dragon Hunter. Within seconds, I'd buried a Hidden Blade in his throat and tossed him into a bush.

"This thing works better than I'd hoped." I grinned, retracting the blade. Suddenly, a loud screech resounded through the air, stealing the attention of all the Hunters. From the cover of the night sky, Nightshade rained down a strong Plasma Bolt. Half the Hunters went to investigate, Dragon Root bows and crossbows at the ready. I wasn't worried about them hitting her. She was practically invisible at night. So, while she kept half of them distracted, I continued towards the cave, stealthily taking cover behind barrels, weapon stacks, and the like.

I smirked as I took down another Hunter with my bow. I feel like Connor Kenway meets Arrowverse. Dragon Vigilante/Assassin that fights for the dragons, bringing down those were are poisoning this world. But, I digress. I shot a few more guards, and stabbed some others, before making it to the cave. It had a bit of a dip to it, with stairs carved to make walking down easier, but I got to the bottom relatively quietly.

And there, in the large cavern, I found my target.

Strapped to the ground with Dragon-proof chains attached to its feet, was a sleek, sandy brown dragon that shared an uncanny resemblance to a Night Fury. Definitely a Sand Wraith. What was more, however, was that there was a cage strapped to the Sand Wraith's back. I couldn't see exactly what was inside it, but a big hint was the three scorpion-like tails that stuck out between the bars. As I spied the small cage strapped to the Sand Wraith's back, one of the guards slammed their mace onto the cage. A distressed, small cry came from the cage as the three tails stung the Sand Wraith.

As they did so, the three tails stung the Sand Wrath's back. I saw it's bright yellow eyes widen in pain an anger as it let out a loud, enraged screech. It struggled, but it seemed in capable of moving it's back or thighs, so it could only thrash in place, shooting it's balls of flaming sand. I felt cold fury coursing through me as I realized what was happening. What they were doing to the Sand Wraith and the dragon in that small cage.

It was a baby Triple Stryke.

A Triple Stryke is a Strike Class dragon that has three scorpion-like tails. The three tails each hold a different venom. One numbs the victim completely, the other disorients the victim with mild hallucinations, and the last creates an agonizing pain akin to one's blood boiling in their veins. Put all of these together, and the results could be unpredictable. Now, since the Triple Stryke here is a baby, I'd wager that the venom will only last a few minutes, so the Sand Wraith needs to be continuously stung. With the numbing venom, it run or fly away. With the hallucinogen, it will probably see something to fire on. And with the pain of it's blood boiling, it will rage and shoot at anything that moves, providing the dragon Hunters with the Sand Wraith shots.

Despite the inhumanity of it all, I had to admire the ingenuity of it. The Hunters even had barrels full of sand for the Sand Wraith to eat and recharge it's eight shot limit. Clever. Horrible, but clever.

No way was I going to let this carry on.

"Hey, scumbags!" I called out to them as I revealed myself. The seven guards that were present suddenly turned to face me, seeing me aiming an arrow at them. "Say goodnight." I muttered darkly, releasing the arrow. The Hunter who was striking the baby's cage went down as the arrow buried itself in his eye. Six to go.

I tossed my bow to the side and drew my katana as the six remaining guards readied their weapons. One of the Hunters, wielding an axe, charged at me as I walked towards them. I simple sidestepped his attack, tripping him to the ground, and ran my blade through his back, into the ground. Five to go. Not dissuaded by their co-worker's demise, two more Hunters, wielding spears, ran towards me, intent on impaling me. I maneuvered myself in such a fashion that their spears collided to form an 'X' shape, and I ended up behind them. I stabbed my sword into the back of the neck of the right thug. Pulling the blade out, I did swift spinning flourish, taking the other guys head as I spun around to face the remaining Hunters. Three to go.

By now, they were starting to look weary of me. They could see I was not to be trifled with.

Hoping to finish me off quickly and from a distance, one of them threw an axe at me. Thinking quickly, I caught the axe by the handle and spun around, allowing the momentum to build, and released the weapon right back at the attacker. He fell to the ground with his own axe buried in his face. Two to go. Whilst one of the remaining Hunters readied his bow, the other, a skinny and more agile guy, ran towards me with his sword. I blocked his attack and kicked him in the stomach, making him hunch over. As the other Hunter shot his arrow at me, I quickly brought the first guy up, using him as a human shield. The arrow was shot right into his chest.

"Geh?" The archer let out an unintelligent sound, paling as I dropped his now-deceased companion. A dark expression on my face, I threw one of my shuriken at him. He was too late to react. The throwing star was stuck in his throat, and he fell to the ground. With a sigh, I sheathed my blade and picked up my bow, strapping it to my back as I went to retrieve the shuriken. With a shake of my head, I went over to the Sand Wraith, who had by now shook off the baby Triple Stryke's venom.

Briskly as I could, I approached the trapped dragon, eliciting a hiss of warning. "It's ok, it's ok." I said quickly, stopping my approach. Slowly, I unsheathed my sword and placed it on the ground. That got the dragon's attention. Good. "I mean you no harm." I continued, putting my bow next to the sword. "I am not your enemy." I added, reaching out with my hand, my green eyes focussed on the dragon's yellow orbs. Rumbling softly, it sniffed my hand, probably smelling Nightshade's scent on me. "That's it…" I whispered as he sniffed me. Finally, he allowed his snout to press against my hand, his eyes closed. I let out a sigh of relief, smiling at the dragon. "Now let's get you out of here big guy." I said, picking up my weapons. I strapped my bow to my back and sheathed my blade as I walked behind the Sand Wraith.

Definitely male.

Letting out a hum, I examined the cage that was strapped to his back. It wasn't all that complicated, but I wasn't sure I wanted to let that baby out of there knowing how distressed it was. No doubt it was ready to strike me the moment I got close. Yeah, better leave that there for a moment. I'll focus on the hatchling once I get the Sand Wraith out of here. So, with that decision made, I used my Hidden Blades to destroy the mechanisms in the locks that kept the Sand Wraith bound.

"Dragon-proof huh?" I asked with a smirk as the Sand Wraith shook free. "Try blade-proof next time." I said, seeing the him smiling at me, before giving a questioning growl, glancing at the cage. "I'll get that off once we're safe. No telling when more of the Hunters will show up." I told him. He seemed to give a single nod of understanding. Sand Wraiths are not Strike Class dragons, but they are remarkably intelligent. Probably on par with most Strike Class dragons. Given his size and build, I'd say he's a late adolescent. "Let's get out of here." I said, drawing my sword. The dragon warbled in agreement as we headed out of the cave.

XXX

When we exited the cave, we were greeted to the sight of several Dragon Hunters barricading themselves behind barrels, weapon stacks, etc. All of them probably taking cover from Nightshade. If I know my Dragon, and I do, she probably doesn't fire until she sees some leaving their safe place, which is why nobody's moving, and why there's little to no sound. I love how I can't even see her in the cover of night.

Suddenly, a screech alerted all of the Hunters to my presence. What screech you might ask? Well, the baby Triple Stryke decided now would be a good time to let out a loud cry, banging it's tails against the cage. I don't blame it, it's probably really scared without its mother, but I couldn't help feeling frustrated as the ten or so remaining Dragon Hunters turned their attention to me.

"Fuck." I said blankly, sighing as I raised my sword.

"Stop him!" One of the Hunters yelled.

"He's stealing the Sand Wraith!" Another hollered.

"You think?" I asked the air blankly as the Hunters all yelled and charged at me with their weapons. "Dumbasses." I shook my head. "Nightshade, Lightning!" I cried out. In an instant, the Skrill's cry resounded throughout the island, and a large bolt struck the space right in front of me, throwing the Hunter's off. "Let's go!" I said to the Sand Wraith, running to the side, the liberated dragon right behind me.

"Don't let him get away!" I would presume it was the Captain of this merry little band that was yelling. Or whatever surviving, highest-ranking officer was left. I don't really care.

"Can you fly?" I asked the Sand Wraith, who let out a small roar, spreading his wings.

"I'll take that as a yes." I said as we ran through the trees, being careful not to run into any. The Triple Stryke was screeching out loud, definitely afraid and disorientated. Sorry little guy… "Ok, let's get out of here." I said, bringing my thumb and index finger to my mouth as I sheathed my sword. The loud whistle I released alerted Nightshade to my location, as is evident by her roars becoming louder. The cliff was in sight. "Now or never!" I told my sandy companion as we neared the cliff. With a mighty roar, he jumped up and let his wings take over. He was several meters high when I reach the cliff. Without even thinking about it, I jumped off of the cliff. I'd hardly been able to see the ocean when Nightshade swooped in. "There's my girl." I said as I patted the Skrill's side affectionately as I found myself snug in the saddle. She cooed happily at the praise. "Now, let's make sure the Hunters can't use those sand balls." I said, directing Nights back to the cave.

Within minutes were hovering above the cave entrance, quite a distance up, seeing the Hunters scrambling to get their weapons ready to fire. "Ahoy Dragon Hunters!" I called out with a wide grin. "I have a message for Viggo! Tell him Harkon Caldera says hello." I patted Nightshade's side. "Alright Nights, let's seal up that cave. Lightning!" I commanded. She let out a roar as lightning enveloped her body. Screeching, she shot a huge bolt of lightning out of her mouth, and towards the cave entrance. The Sand Wraith followed suit, shooting several balls of hardened sand that only worsened the cave in. "Perfect." I smirked in satisfaction. Turning my attention to the Sand Wraith, I smiled. "Come, let's land so I can get that little guy off of you." I told him. He gave a roar of agreement as we turned and flew off.

I'm really glad that's over.

And that I didn't have to fight Heather.

XXX

"Ow!" I howled in agony as the baby Triple Stryke stung my hand, _again_ , with that blood boiling venom. Aside from a small prick, it doesn't do any actual damage. But by the Ancients it hurts! I'm just glad this guy's only a baby, otherwise it would be a lot worse, for a lot longer.

OK, I suppose I should recap. I brought the Sand Wraith to my home, and was able to remove the small cage that was strapped to his back. Though not without having my hand numbed for several minutes. The Sand Wraith, finally freed, gave me a thankful lick before taking off, leaving me alone with the baby Triple Stryke. I still couldn't see it very well. Anyways, I was able to open the cage by using the very tip of my sword to break the lock and open the cage door. And out he came.

Or rather, out _she_ came.

The baby Triple Stryke was female, with her legs, belly, and jaw being white. As were the tips of her ears, horn, and two of her tails. The last tail was black, as were the stingers that could be found at the tip of each tail. The rest of her was also black, being her back, wings, and head. Running down her back were several white, horizontal stripes. She was barely bigger than a Terrible Terror, but she was still incredibly dangerous. I heard a rumbling, dragon-like laugh from beside me. I turned and saw Nightshade looking at me with an amused expression.

"Not helping." I snapped, shaking my hand. I am so relieved that this dragon is still a baby. Otherwise, the blood boiling pain would have lasted so much longer. "You're not going to calm down, are you?" I asked the baby dragon redundantly, earning a hiss as she narrowed her crimson eyes. I took one step forward, and she extended her three tails. "Come on! How did they do it in Canon?" I asked myself quietly, banging the side of my fist on my forehead.

Suddenly, I heard a strange, high pitched clicking sound, making me stop. Looking at the Triple Stryke, I saw it was still giving me a death glare with her crimson red eyes, but her tails were now twisted together to make one tail, with three stingers at the tip. It was also hanging over her head now. As I noticed this however, the infant jump into a forward flip, and I was just barely able to avoid the three tails as they separated and were jammed into the ground. As she turned to face me once more, getting ready to pounce, she twisted her tails together, and I heard that sound again.

"Of course!" I slapped my head. Now I remember. Astrid was blinded in the show due to a bolt of lightning striking right in front of her. Staring right into that light robbed her of her sight for a few days. Then, she was able to hear the clicking sound over the rain an dragon roars, whilst the other Dragon Riders could not. Then, she used two of Stormfly's spines to distract the dragon, before getting close enough to tame it. "Alright, let's try this again." I mumbled under my breath. I couldn't help but shoot a glare in Nightshade's direction. She was just lying there, under her usual tree, as if what was happening was of no importance. "Lazy reptile." I huffed, just barely able to avoid another attack. Thankfully, I stopped right at a small tree, right at the edge of my camp. I broke off two branches as the baby dragon twisted her tails together again, the clicking sound resounding.

Before it could even think of attacking, I clicked the sticks I broke off together, making the infant stop. Briskly, I took a few steps forward. That seemed to provoke her, as is evident by her untwisting her tails and bring them over her head, the snapping sound resounding again. Instantly, I clicked the branches again, several times. She shook her head in confusion, looking at me with her pupils dilating a little. I clicked the branches again, and she let her tails relax on the ground behind her, looking up at me curiously. Smiling, I took a single step forward, and she gave no reaction.

"That's it." I whispered, walking slowly. She gave a light hiss, narrowing her eyes, but not lifting her tails or pincers. I simply clicked the branches again, getting down on one knee. By now, her pupils were wide and big. At this point, the only thing that could make them bigger is a field of Dragon Nip. With a soft, shallow breath, I brought both sticks to my left hand, and extended my right, slowly. With a only a few centimeters between her snout and my hand, the rest was up to her. I really hope I don't get stung again.

As luck would have it, I wasn't.

The baby Triple Stryke leaned her head forward, pressing her snout against my hand. I let out a sigh of relief and started petting her softly. She let out delighted purrs as I gently scratched her underneath her chin, stomping her feet not unlike a dog. She was even thumping her tails on the ground.

"Well, glad that's over." I said as I stood up, picking the hatchling up. Holding her under her arms, I looked at her with a small smile. "No more stingers, no more pincers, no more fangs, and no more talons, right?" I asked, suddenly brightening up as an idea struck me. "Speaking of which, that's what I'll call you, Talon." I smiled. The newly named Talon let out a small cry, her face splitting in what looked like a smile, her tongue hanging out. "Now it's just a case of deciding what to do with you." I said thoughtfully.

I know that a baby Dragon can be raised by another dragon that's not it's mother, so long as said other Dragon accepts the baby. There are many cases were they don't. Even so, I'm not completely certain where to find another Triple Stryke, much less how to convince it to take Talon in. No way in hell am I going to leave her alone to fend for herself, which leaves only one option.

"Well, Nights, it seems we have a new roommate." I said, looking at the adolescent Skrill, who stiffened. Raising her head, she looked at me with an incredulous expression. I couldn't help but laugh, both at Nightshade's expression, and the fact that Talon decided to climb up onto my shoulder, nuzzling my cheek with hers. "Aaw, frisky little girl, aren't you?" I asked in a coo, scratching Talon under her chin. She purred in delight in response.

Something tells me I just made a good decision.

"Raaaaawr?!"

Nightshade, however, is going to take some convincing.

XXX

 **FINALLY got back to writing this story. I'm aware I've been pretty out of writing in general lately, for the past two weeks or so. Real life seems to be getting a bit hectic recently, so it's put a slight dent in my writing time, but it'll pass, I assure you.**

 **Now, concerning Talon. When I first started this story, I was really split between giving Harkon a Skrill, or a Triple Stryke. I briefly considered a Night Fury, but quickly shot that idea down, so it came down to those two. After I started writing this story, I started having doubts, thinking I should have gone the other way. I didn't just want to give him both, so I went in this direction instead. A baby Triple Stryke that can perch on his shoulder.**

 **What do you guys think? Please review! By the way, Harkon will be inserted into Canon in either the next chapter, or the following one. Just thought I'd throw that out there.**


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